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The Merck site in Kenilworth clocks in at 108 acres with nearly 2 million square feet.
The Merck site in Kenilworth clocks in at 108 acres with nearly 2 million square feet.
Onyx announces NEST life sciences hub at former Merck site
Jessica Perry//May 25, 2023
The joint venture acquiror of Merck’s former headquarters is detailing more of its plans to bring a new life sciences and biotechnology hub to the 108-acre Kenilworth campus.
Woodbridge-based Onyx Equities LLC and Machine Investment Group LP revealed the Northeast Science and Technology Center – or NEST – May 25, with plans for the site set to debut at the upcoming BIO International Convention.
NEST will exhibit at booth 651 at the event, taking place June 5-8 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston. During the conference, NEST Center co-founder and managing partner John Saraceno will share plans for the more than 2 million-square-foot research and development campus.
According to the announcement, those plans include:
- 1.4 million square feet of laboratory buildings;
- 30 acres of redevelopment opportunities specifically zoned for research, laboratories and manufacturing facilities;
- 500,000 square feet of Class A office space;
- A turn-key vivarium; and
- Robust and redundant utility infrastructure, including a 25-megawatt co-generation power plant.
Rounding out the offerings, NEST will also incorporate state-of-the-art amenities – including a heliport, fitness center, conference centers and green space – to create a vibrant campus culture.
Onyx Equities and Machine Investment Group announced the purchase of the Merck site in February, a move that elicited the praise of the governor.
“New Jersey receives two forms of good news today as one of the pillars of our business community chooses to commit its long-term future to New Jersey and one of our leading developers prepares to build a high-tech life sciences hub, consistent with our vision for New Jersey’s economic future,” Murphy said at the time. “I congratulate both Merck and Onyx and eagerly await the advancements they will make in our state, which will solidify our status as a national leader in the life sciences sector.”
In its first quarter 2023 Life Sciences Industry Insights report, JLL cited the massive deal as a boon to the already active life sciences sector in the state, saying the repositioning of the property would serve to enhance New Jersey’s already robust infrastructure of existing lab space. Along with the state’s skilled workforce, the report said competitive pricing here “will keep the state on the radar screen for growing life sciences companies in the year ahead.”
According to Saraceno, providing that kind of quality space is what NEST is all about.
“The biotechnology industry has a high demand for both turnkey and customizable solutions,” he said. “Prior to NEST, many health tech companies, especially those in research and development, were forced to wait years for adequate laboratory and work space. NEST allows those on the cutting edge of medicine to focus on finding cures — rather than an office location.”
Beyond the Garden State, and perhaps evident in the venture’s choice to debut its plans at the BIO Convention, NEST represents an opportunity to serve the larger region, with a convenient location 14 miles from New York City.
The progress at NEST comes on the heels of another life sciences win for Onyx, who’s Summit East campus was recently picked as the headquarters for Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health spinoff business, Kenvue.
